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Pairing your phone with your computer via USB. We connect the phone to Windows. Connecting your phone to your computer: optional

  • Personal computer with Windows XP or Windows Vista operating system
  • Mobile phone
  • To connect to a computer you will need a USB cable or Bluetooth (must be in both your phone and computer)

Step 1. Choose a connection method

Data transmission via cable is the most reliable and affordable of all methods. The speed of file transfer over a Bluetooth wireless connection is slower than when transferring via cable, but it is not necessary for the phone to be near the computer: the Bluetooth range ranges from 10 to 100 m.

If the device is connected for the first time, modem drivers will be installed. This is usually done automatically, without user intervention. If the installation wizard appears, simply select "Automatic installation" or follow the instructions for installing drivers from the disk that came with your phone.

Step 2. Connect the phone

Connection via cable

Connect your phone to your computer using a cable. A notification will appear in the lower right corner of the screen in the notification area of ​​the taskbar indicating that a new device has been discovered. Wait half a minute. The phone is ready to use.

Often, after connecting the phone, the computer begins to detect and install various devices with unclear names, in this case, just wait until the automatic installation completes or install the driver following the system prompts.

Bluetooth connection

First, let's turn on Bluetooth on your phone and computer. After this, you need to connect the two devices (create a pair). To do this, go to the control panel, click on the “Bluetooth devices” shortcut. The Bluetooth adapter settings window appears. In the window, click the "Add" button, the search for available devices begins. After a few seconds, the computer will display the search result and display all available devices. The last step is to select the desired phone by double-clicking and in the next step click on “Do not use a passkey.” Click "Next" and wait for the wizard to finish setting up.

Most modern users have not only a personal computer, but also mobile devices, which are used as pocket photo and video cameras, tools for working with images and documents, and also as music players. In order to be able to transfer files from a portable device to a PC, you need to know how to connect these two devices. We'll talk about this in this article.

There are three ways to connect a phone or tablet - wired, using a USB cable, and wireless - Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. They all have their advantages and disadvantages. Next, we will analyze all the options in more detail.

Method 1: USB cable

The easiest way to connect two devices is a regular cable with a micro USB connector on one end and a standard USB connector on the other. It is impossible to mix up the connectors - the first connects to the phone, and the second to the computer.

After connecting, the PC must detect the new device, which will be indicated by a special signal and a tooltip in the taskbar. The device will appear in the folder "Computer", and you can work with it like a regular removable drive.

The downside of this connection is that the smartphone is strictly tied to the PC. However, it all depends on the length of the cable. In most cases, it is quite short, which is dictated by the possible loss of connection and data when transmitted through too long a wire.

The advantages of USB include increased stability, which allows you to transfer large amounts of information, access to the built-in memory of a mobile device, and the ability to use the connected device as a webcam or modem.

For normal operation of a combination of devices, you usually do not need to perform any additional actions in the form of installing drivers. In some cases, you will need to force a connection on your phone or tablet,

and also choose in what capacity it will be used.

After this you can start working.

Method 2: Wi-Fi

To connect a mobile device to a PC using Wi-Fi, you first need an appropriate adapter. It is already present on all laptops, but on desktop machines it is quite rare and only on top-end motherboards, however, separate modules for PCs are available for sale. To establish a connection, both devices must be connected to the same wireless network, which will allow data to be transferred using local IP addresses.

There are two disadvantages of connecting via Wi-Fi: the possibility of an unexpected connection loss, which can be caused by a number of reasons, as well as the need to install additional software. The advantage is maximum mobility and the ability to use the device (as long as the connection is established) for its intended purpose.

There are several programs for connecting your phone to a PC, and they all involve installation and subsequent remote control of the device via a browser. Below are some examples.


Method 3: Bluetooth

This connection method is useful if there is no USB cable and there is no way to connect to a wireless network. The situation with Bluetooth adapters is the same as with Wi-Fi: the computer or laptop must have a corresponding module. Connecting your phone via Bluetooth is carried out in a standard way, described in the articles available at the links below. After completing all the steps, the device will appear in the folder "Computer" and will be ready to go.

iOS connection

There is nothing special about connecting Apple devices to a computer. All methods work for them, but to synchronize you need to install the latest edition on your PC, which will automatically install the necessary drivers or update existing ones.

Once connected, the device will ask you whether this PC can be trusted.

Then an AutoPlay window will open (if it is not disabled in Windows settings) asking you to select a use option, after which you can begin transferring files or other operations.

Conclusion

From all that has been said above, we can draw the following conclusion: there is nothing complicated in connecting a phone or tablet to a computer. You can choose the most convenient or the only acceptable method for yourself and perform the necessary steps to connect the devices.

If the computer does not see Android via USB, then you will not be able to download photos, videos or music, install applications not from the Play Market, or flash the device. And this is very bad, because the functionality of the phone is not fully revealed due to some stupid error.

Someone might argue that you can flash your phone without a USB connection, but for transferring files there is Wi-Fi, instant messengers, cloud storage, and finally email. But I just can’t refuse a USB connection; I constantly carry a cable with me and consider it one of the most convenient ways to transfer data.

Checking the cable and port

Before you go into your phone settings, install drivers and curse the day you bought this Android, check the cable and USB port. I was once very surprised that the computer stopped identifying the smartphone, which it had previously seen perfectly well. It turned out that the cat liked the cable and chewed it through. From this situation I drew two conclusions: the wires must be put away in a box and inspected before connecting. The cat did not draw any conclusions. If no kinks, bites, breaks or other mechanical damage are found on the wire, check the USB port. Try connecting to a different connector or inserting another device into the same port - for example, a mouse.

If Windows XP is installed on your computer, then urgently look for an opportunity to upgrade to at least “seven”. But first you can just install MTP protocol so that XP learns to work with Android. The trick is that when the first version of Android appeared, Microsoft had already released Windows 7. Therefore, there is no MTP protocol in XP, and you have to install it separately. You can download MTP

If the computer detects any other device, but the phone categorically does not want to see it, then it’s time to shift the focus to Android settings and connection features. Yes, there is a possibility of mechanical damage to the microUSB connector on the phone, but I have not encountered this yet. If you have something broken, you will most likely notice it.

Most often, the inability to establish a connection between a computer and a phone is due to software errors. If none of the methods listed below help solve the problem, contact a service center - it seems that the smartphone really needs repair.

Android setup

I came across two situations. The first phone required not only obtaining developer rights and enabling USB debugging, but also installing phone drivers on the computer. In the settings of the second smartphone, I did not find any parameters responsible for connecting via USB. They are not needed: the phone is perfectly detected by the computer, after which it offers to select a connection mode.

So, if you connected your smartphone, but nothing happened:

  1. Open Android Settings.
  2. Go to the section "About the phone"(may be called “About device”).
  3. Find build number(models) and click on this item until a notification appears that you will soon become a developer. Usually n press 7-10 times.

After you become a developer, a new section will appear in the Android settings - "Developer Options". Inside it you will find a switch "USB Debugging", which needs to be moved to position "On".

Now try connecting your phone to your computer again. When connecting, a mode selection window should appear on the smartphone screen. The default setting on older versions of Android is “Charge Only”. If the window does not appear, slide it out of the notification shade.

To transfer files, you need to select media device (MTP) or storage mode. Among the options there will also be a PTP mode, but it is only suitable for photos that can just as easily be moved to MTP.

After selecting the appropriate mode in “Computer” on Windows, a media device will appear, the contents of which you can work with. Depending on your phone model and Android version, the internal memory and SD card may appear together or as separate drives. But this does not matter, the main thing is that they are displayed at all.

There are no other options in the Android settings that are responsible for connecting via USB, except for debugging. However, there are some peculiarities. For example, on Nexus smartphones, you need to unlock the screen, which is protected by a password or pattern, in order for the computer to access the contents of the memory.

Also, USB connection cannot be established if tethering mode is enabled on Android. To check its status and disable it if necessary:

  1. Open Settings.
  2. In chapter "Network and Connections" click "Additional settings" or "More".
  3. Go to modem mode and disable WLAN access point. If it is disabled, you don't need to do anything else.

Some manufacturers offer users special programs to control smartphones on a computer, but you can establish a simple connection via USB without this software. Utilities from manufacturers are needed not for the banal transfer of photos, but for performing more complex tasks: updating phone software via a computer, flashing the device’s firmware, resetting settings.

The reason that the computer does not see Android via USB may be an incorrectly installed or simply crooked custom firmware. Also, sometimes a factory reset helps, but before doing it, be sure to back up your data as it will delete your data. The problem may disappear even after a normal reboot of the smartphone - keep this in mind.

Checking Energy Saving Settings

Windows is trying to save energy so that the same laptops can last longer on battery power. One of the saving factors is the automatic shutdown of USB ports. Sometimes this results in external devices not connecting at all. To check these settings and troubleshoot any deficiencies:

I haven't measured how much the ban on automatic port shutdown affects battery life, but there is no noticeable difference. But problems with connecting external devices such as Android phones are eliminated.

Installing drivers

The first time you connect any device, Windows installs drivers for it. Often this process goes unnoticed and very quickly (as was the case with my second phone), so you may not even know that the smartphone software is on your computer. But it exists, which means it should work correctly.
  1. Connect your phone to your computer.
  2. Open device Manager. On Windows 10, the corresponding item is in the context menu, called up by right-clicking on “Start”. In earlier versions of Windows, Manager can be found in Control panels in viewing mode "Icons".
  3. Check all USB controllers. If there is an exclamation mark next to one of them, this indicates that there are problems with the software.

To make sure that it is the phone that is marked in the Manager, disconnect the USB cable. If the problematic controller disappears, then you have found the source of the problem. A smartphone without drivers may also appear in other sections: for example, among other or portable devices.

So, you discovered that something strange is happening with your phone drivers. What to do next?

  1. Connect your phone so it appears in Device Manager.
  2. Select it and delete it.
  3. Update the hardware configuration so that the computer detects the phone again and begins installing drivers.

You don't have to remove the device, just update the driver. Right click on the phone, select tab "Driver" and press "Update". Another option is to install it first and then install it again without touching the device itself.

In the search box, select automatic detection. If you downloaded the phone driver from the official website, you can click "Search this computer" and indicate the path to the downloaded software file.

If you have a Chinese smartphone, then there may be another problem with it - the inability to find a suitable driver on the Internet. They are often posted on forums like 4PDA, but if there is nothing, try installing a universal driver. It's called Universal Adb Driver and is designed to ensure the Android Debug Bridge and PC syncing utilities work properly with Android devices. Universality is not always good, but there is a high probability that in the case of a Chinese phone you will be able to simply access the contents of the memory.

Troubleshooting error code 19

If, when you connect your phone, your computer displays a message about the inability to start the device due to incomplete or damaged settings, then you need to check the system registry. But be careful: deleting the wrong entries can cause Windows to stop working.

After removing the setting, restart your computer and try connecting your phone again.

Alternative file transfer methods

If you cannot resolve the problem with the USB connection, and you need to transfer files right now, use one of the alternative methods.
  • Sync your data via Google Drive. Android requires a Google account to function properly, so you definitely have access to cloud storage. You can transfer files through other services – DropBox, OneDrive. I use Yandex.Disk.
  • Transfer files via email, instant messengers or social networks. I often add small files to Documents on VKontakte, and then download them to my computer.
  • Install the AirDroid application on your phone and access the memory through a browser on your computer.

You can come up with other options. For example, create an FTP server on your phone or set up a remote connection via TeamViewer. So USB is not the only option. But if a wired connection is not established, it is still worth looking at what the reason is and, if possible, eliminating it.

Also on the site:

The computer does not see Android via USB updated: February 7, 2018 by: Sergey

Users regularly connect modern Android smartphones to a laptop or PC to dump music, photos or other necessary files. In some situations, the computer does not detect the phone via USB, which makes working with it very difficult. There is a certain list of reasons that prevent the device from being recognized.

The computer does not recognize the phone via USB - reasons

All possible problems that users encounter can be divided into software or hardware. In the first option, the problem is in the settings, drivers or computer system, in the second - in the cable, USB port of the smartphone or laptop. Almost all problems can be fixed, but before you try to fix connecting your phone to your computer via USB, try restarting your PC and device. This simple procedure often helps, especially with device models from Lenovo, Samsung, HTC, FLY, LG, Nokia.

The phone does not connect via USB to the computer, but it charges

A very common problem with devices is when the phone is not displayed on the computer via USB, but the battery charge indicator is on. The smartphone responds to the connection, but the system does not want to display it. To identify the cause of the failure, you can do the following:

  1. Move the power cord to a different port on the laptop. Now most models are already equipped with version 3.0 connectors (blue), but you need to use 2.0. For stationary versions, the connection should be made from the back of the case, and not from the front panel.
  2. Try using a different cord if the sockets are the same. This will help identify problems with the cable. If one of the twisted pair wires breaks, the smartphone may continue to charge, but not be detected.
  3. Inspect the device socket to see if there is any debris or dirt inside that disrupts the connection of the contacts and makes it difficult to find the device.
  4. Try connecting the device to another PC. If it is detected there, then the problem is definitely in your system: there are no drivers, a virus, or the power supply on the laptop is incorrectly configured. This problem will be described in more detail below.

The computer stopped seeing the phone via USB

It often happens that the device was previously detected, but for some reason it suddenly stopped. A common reason why the computer does not see the phone via USB is that the port drivers have crashed. Due to software glitches, the latter stop functioning correctly and are unable to find any connected devices. In this case, there is no need to reboot the device. You need to do the following:

  1. Find the “native” drive for the motherboard. The set must contain all system files for the correct operation of the USB ports.
  2. If the disk is lost, find the developer’s website on the Internet. Manufacturers, as a rule, make all the necessary software freely available.
  3. Reinstall the drivers.

After the PC has finished installing the files, you need to restart the computer. Only at this moment is it time to check whether the system can recognize the device. If these steps do not help, make additional settings:

  1. In the Control Panel, go to the "Power" section.
  2. Select "Set up power plan" (for laptops).
  3. Click "Change advanced settings..."
  4. From the list, select “USB Settings” and click the plus sign.
  5. Then expand the “Temporarily disable USB port option” section.
  6. Set to “Disabled” for battery or mains operation.
  7. Click “Apply” and “Ok”.

In addition to problems with port drivers, files for the Android device itself may be lost. To check this, you should open the device manager and see if there is an exclamation mark in the “Portable devices” section. Check the list for your phone. If it is not there or there is a warning sign, you should do the following:

  • open the device and click “Uninstall driver”;
  • turn off your mobile device;
  • connect it again;
  • wait until the system installs the connected device again.

The computer does not find the phone via USB

Sometimes the situation is such that the laptop initially does not find the device. If the reason is not a broken cord or port, then you should carefully check why the computer does not see the phone via USB. The causes of problems may include the following:

  1. Android system settings. Modern mobile devices have several connection options: charging only, storage, modem. By default, most of them are set to the first value from the list. As a result, the device is charging, but is not displayed by the system. As a rule, the top menu of the device when connecting offers to change the connection type; you just need to select the required option. If this does not happen automatically, you need to follow the following path: Settings -> Memory -> Properties. Here you must set the required connection type.
  2. Sometimes a smartphone is used as a modem, which prevents it from being recognized as a storage device. Disable this option through Settings.
  3. Turn on Windows Update, which will allow the PC to download fresh, up-to-date drivers for all connected devices. When connecting, do not forget to unlock your mobile device.
  4. When sold together with the smartphone, a disk is provided that contains a program for connecting the phone to a computer via USB. Use it to discover your device.

The computer does not recognize the phone via USB - viruses

Malicious programs that have entered a PC system can behave in completely different ways. Sometimes they become the reason why the computer still does not see the phone via USB. Virus scripts disrupt the operation of various devices, remove drivers, and block data transfer. The risk of infecting a smartphone is extremely low, because viruses for Android are written extremely rarely. However, to protect yourself from infection, you should check Windows using specialized programs:

  • Dr.Web;
  • Antivirus Kaspersky;
  • Malwarebyte.

What to do if your phone does not connect to your computer via USB

If your system, after all the steps described above, still does not see the device, but you are 100% sure that the problem is not in the USB cord or socket, the device was previously detected, there is only one way out - Hard Reset. A hard reboot will lose all data from the phone's internal memory and reset it to factory settings. This will eliminate the possibility of a software failure on the part of the mobile phone.

All data that you save on the SD card or cloud services will remain unharmed. This option should be used as a last resort - provided that all other methods did not give the desired result, and you are sure that the problem is in the settings of the device, but not the PC. For each model, be it Samsung or NTS, the manufacturer has programmed hardware buttons that make it possible to perform a hard reboot. You can enable it from the settings, if the device turns on and you have access to them.

Video: how to connect your phone to a computer via a USB cable

Any mobile phone user sooner or later is faced with the need to connect his gadget to a computer. Pairing these two devices allows you to exchange data between them. For example, you can download photos from your smartphone or, conversely, upload music or movies to it from your computer. Today, there are several ways to connect your phone to a computer - from a standard wired connection (USB cable) to a wireless connection (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth). Let us consider in detail the simplest and most reliable options.

Connection via standard USB cable

This method is suitable for those cases when you need to copy a large amount of data at maximum speed and in an extremely short time. The connection is made using a regular USB cable, which often comes with the phone (its photo is shown below).

Connect one end of the cord to the mobile device and the other to the computer. If the smartphone is connected for the first time, then the drivers must be installed first, and only then will it be possible to control the device. As a rule, the software is installed automatically, and there is no need to perform any additional manual steps. In rare cases, drivers do not work, and then you need to install them manually. You can learn how to do this in the article “Why the computer doesn’t see the phone.”

After successfully connecting your smartphone to your computer (no matter whether it’s a desktop or a laptop), it will appear in the list of portable devices in Explorer.

By clicking on the corresponding icon, you can go to the contents of the gadget. All data will be presented in the form of folders with a standard Windows 7/10 hierarchy.

Access will appear not only to the phone’s built-in memory, but also to the SD card. If your goal was to copy photos, then all that remains is to find the target directory in which they are stored by default. The path to the folder may vary depending on the smartphone model and its settings.

Connection via Wi-Fi

A classic Wi-Fi connection allows you to organize an information exchange channel between a mobile phone and a computer. The technique in this case is as follows: certain folders and files are “shared” using a special application installed on a smartphone, after which they become visible on the PC. A prerequisite for this option to work is to connect the computer and phone to the same Wi-Fi router, i.e. finding devices on the same network. The direction of data transfer (download/upload) may be different.

There are many programs for providing access to smartphone content, and they are developed for a variety of platforms, be it Android, iOS or Windows Phone. The application interface is different, but they work on the same principle. How specifically, let's look at an example FTP Server. Let's install the program on the phone, and then launch it. The functionality of the utility allows you to add folders to the public list, protecting them with a password if necessary. The application also displays the IP address, which can be used through Windows Explorer to access the data stored on the phone.

As an example, let’s completely “share” the contents of our smartphone’s memory card.

Now we find out the ftp address for accessing information.

Enter it in the search bar of any browser on your PC.

The data will be presented as a directory (in our case SDCARD) with subfolders. We go to any of the folders and download files from there.

A more convenient interface for managing the content of a mobile device is provided by ftp clients, for example, Total Commander. We launch the program on the computer, and then find and click the “New FTP connection” button.

In the window that opens, enter the phone's IP address.

If password protection has not been set, then simply click OK. The appearance of a directory tree will indicate a successful connection with the smartphone.

Now you can easily share files between devices without any restrictions.

Using the Bluetooth protocol

Connecting your phone to a PC via a Bluetooth adapter is only justified when the first two methods are not available for some reason. This type of wireless connection is slow, so transferring even medium-sized files will take a lot of time. Plus, if you want to exchange data with a desktop computer, you will need to purchase a special Bluetooth radio module that connects to a USB port.

Laptops have an adapter built in by default.

Before you start pairing your phone and computer, you need to make sure Bluetooth is active on both devices. On smartphones, it is enabled through Settings; on PCs with Windows 10, through the standard Settings utility (some laptops also have a special button on the keyboard).

An icon on the taskbar will inform you that Bluetooth is turned on on your computer.

In order for the PC to be detected by your phone, right-click on the icon and select “Open settings”.

In the window that appears, enable the “Allow Bluetooth devices to detect this computer” option.

Now on the phone in the Bluetooth settings we find a computer with the desired name and try to connect to it. The same code will appear on both devices.

We confirm that the numbers match, after which the pairing will be successfully completed.

Let's try to get some file. To do this, right-click on the Bluetooth icon and select “Accept file”.

A window will appear indicating that the computer is ready to receive.

Now you need to initiate data sending on your smartphone. If everything is done correctly, the transfer will begin.

When finished, you need to select a location for the file.

Copying data from an SD card using a card reader

Typically, the lion's share of information on a phone is stored not in its built-in memory, but on removable storage – microSD. Therefore, if none of the above connection methods suits you, then the card can be physically removed and connected to the computer via a special adapter.

It is inserted into the card reader and connected to the USB port of the computer. Laptops have a separate SD adapter slot. Once connected, the data is simply copied as if it were a regular flash drive.